Vehicle-wheel.



J. B. BABTHOLOMEW.

VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 8, I909.

314mm fez Patented May 4, 1915.

JOHN B. BARTHOLOMEW, 0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AVERY COMPANY, A'

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Original application filed September 22, 1909, Serial No. 519,031.Divided and this application filed December 8, 1909. Serial No. 532,086.

To all who/n it may concern:

Be it known that I, Join: B. BARTHoIo new, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVehiclelVheels, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels.

Wheels embodying my invention are especially adapted for use as drivingwheels of traction engines or automobiles. I do not desire to limitmyself, however, to tractor wheels, and wheels embodying my improvementsmay be advantageously used as supporting and steering wheels fortraction engines or automobiles, or may be used on wagons, or othervehicles which are drawn by external power.

The object of the invention is to provide a wheel of the class describedwhich will operate noiselessly and smoothly and, at the same time, exertan effective tractive effort when operating upon either hard or softroads.

One embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. Ido not desire, however, to limit myself to the exact construction shown,and it will be understood th'at various changes in detail and in thearrangement of parts may be made within the scope of my invention.

()f the drawings-Figure 1 is an elevation of a wheel embodying 'myinvention, a part of the rim being shown in section. Fig. 2 is avertical cross section through the center of the wheel. Fig. 3 is anenlarged fragmentary development of the surface of the tire. Fig. 4 is across sectional View of the tire taken Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the wheel as a whole.

2 is the hub of the wheel and is preferably 1 represents mounted bymeans of a roller, or other anti-v stationary axle 3. the Wheel inplace, the axle and bearfriction bearing on the The nut 1 serves to keepand the guard 5 protects ing from dust.

I prefer to construct the spokes .mi felly of the wheel of Wood.

/ any other usual along the line H of 66 are the wheel spokes, and theseare tapered as shoivn at their inner ends to engage one another and formcontinuous ring about the hub proper. The outer ends of the spokes aredoweled and inserted in the felly '7, which may be made in sections, asshown, or, if desired, in a single piece. After the felly, the spokesand the hub have been assembled, the plate 8 is placed, as shown in Fig.1 and secured in position by means of the bolts 10 which pass throughtheannular flange 11 of the hub and through holes formed preferably betweeneach pair of adjacent spokes. I find that when the wheel is to be usedas a traction-wheel instead of merely as a supface of the cy indricalflange 12 may be utilized if desired as a brake surfaceto engagewithsuitable braking devices with- 1iln l:he flange and surrounding the axleand 14 represents the tire of the Wheel. This tire I prefer to form ofcast steel, and it may be secured in place by shrinking or by orpreferred manner. On the surface of this tire are formed rows ofradially extending bosses 15. These bosses may be entirely distinct fromone another but I preferv to construct them as overlapring and joining,as indicated in Fig. 3.

lyach of the bosses is provided with a tapering opening 16 in itscenter, which extends ].)refcrably to approximately the plane of theouter surface of the tire at the base of the bosses. At the bottom ofeach of these apertures I prefer to form a second opening 17 somewhatsmaller in size and eX- tending entirely through the tire. The bossesare preferably circular and are provided withcircular apertures for thesake of cheapness and simplicity of construction. In each of theapertures 16 is driven a plug 18 which is held in place by friction.This plug is formed preferably of Wood, such as hard maple, but othersuitable materials, such as rubber may be used. These plugs ofthe bossesare designed to extend out beyond the ends. 15 a suitable distance, asfor instance one-half inch. s

The tire may have one row of bosses, as above described. I prefer,however, to construct it with two parallel rows, and in certain casesthree, or even more, rows may be found desirable. When two or more rowsare used, the bosses of each row should be staggered relative to thoseof the next adjacent row, as shown in Fig. 3.

The plugs 18 may be readily replaced from time to time after they havebecome worn or broken. It will be noted that with two rows of bosses andplugs, as shown in Fig. 1, the apertures 17 extend outside of the felly,so that a suitable driftmay be inserted in the apertures and the plugsdriven out.

This application constitutes a division of a plication entitled Tractionwheels, Serial No. 519,031.

in filed beptember 22, 1909,

What I claim is 1. In a wheel the combination with a hub and spokes, ofa felly, a ti: wider than the a circumferential at their the said fellyand provided with series of radial apertures larger outer ends than attheir inner ends,

apertures being located with parts of their i inner ends extendinglaterally beyond the sides of the felly, and ground engaging plugs ofresilient material in the said apertures, substantially as set forth.

2. In a Wheel, the combination with a hub and spokes, of a felly, thefelly and provided with a circumferential series of radial apertures,the said apertures being located with parts of their inner endsextending laterally beyond the sides of the felly, andground engagingplugs of resilient material in the apertures, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. BARTHOLOMEW.

Witnesses:

A. L. GREGORY, Gno. F. KLEIN.

a tire wider than.

